Food. Family. Fun

PEACH SALSA

I’ve made this salsa with nectarines and plums as well as with peaches and a variety of stone fruits, depending on what is in season, at the farmer’s market or available for U Pick. Its great with grilled pork chops, prawns, or rockfish.

INGREDIENTS

2 peaches, pitted and medium diced

1 firm and ripe red or yellow tomato, seeded and medium diced

1 firm and ripe tomatillo (optional), seeded and diced

1 firm and ripe avocado, diced

1/4 cup red onion, small dice

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced

Juice of one ripe lime, about 2 tablespoons or to taste

1 TB honey

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

METHOD

Place the fruit, tomato, tomatillo, onion, cilantro, lime juice, and red pepper flakes in a bowl; toss to blend.

Gently fold in diced avocado.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cover. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

PEACHES, FRESH AND WARM

As perfect for dessert as for the main course, or for breakfast as for any meal, this recipe is easy, basic and equal parts rustic and elegant.

Simmer until the peaches are soft and tender, remove with a slotted spoon.

Reduce the leftover liquid slightly, to maximize the sweetness of the honey/juice/water mixture and to bring the flavors of vanilla and spices forward. Remove whole spices and use the reduction as a sauce for pie, ice cream, or grilled meats.

PEACH SIMPLE SYRUP

By Mike Archibald, Executive Chef, Herrington on the Bay A recipe I’ve used for various preparations throughout August and even into September with a variety of stone fruits, here Chef Mike Archibald uses his peach simple syrup recipe to make fresh Peach Soda. We love this recipe because its so fun and family friendly (Grilled Peach Ice Cream Floats anyone?) but can be made into an adult treat with just a dash of this or that.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

4 each, fresh peaches, pitted and roughly chopped

METHOD

In a saucepan, heat the sugar in the water until it dissolves.

Add the peaches and cook until the peaches are tender.

Using a blender or immersion blender, puree the mixture.

Pour through a mesh strainer to remove any pulp.

Peach soda made with peaches from Swann Farms in Calvert County, just across the line from Herrington on the Bay.

PEACH SODA

8 ounces crushed ice

3 ounces Peach Simple Syrup

5 ounces club soda

fresh peach slices for garnish.

METHOD

Put the ice in a 16 ounce chilled glass.

Pour the cooled simple syrup and soda over the ice. Stir. Garnish with the fresh peach slices and a fresh herb like lemon verbena, lemon thyme, pineapple sage or mint.

*While Chef Mike Archibald didn’t include a hit of gin, vodka or bourbon, we think these would work nicely here.

PEACH UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Based loosely on my grandma’s pineapple upside down cake, this dessert has a cake with a light crumb, vanilla flavor, slight, not cloying sweetness, and those sugary, hot, delicious baked peaches!

To make the topping: Melt the butter in a sauce pan or the microwave. Mix in the brown sugar, turbinado, syrup or honey, vanilla and honey. Spoon the mixture into the prepared 9” cake pan.

Space the peach slices on top of the sugar mixture. If you need to go retro, you can place a fresh or maraschino cherry decoratively around the peach slices, in a pattern. If you’re using nuts, scatter them in any spaces.

To make the cake:

Beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg, then the salt, baking powder, almond and vanilla.

Add the milk and yogurt, sour cream or buttermilk. Loosely blend.

Add the flour, about 1/3 cup at a time, blending gently to not overwork the flour and scraping down the bowl as needed.

Spoon the thick batter over the peaches, making sure to get it to the edge of the pan. It make not fully cover the fruit, but that is fine, they will bake together.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven, wait 5 minutes, then turn the pan over onto a serving plate. Wait 30 seconds to a minute more, then lift the pan off. If anything sticks in the pan, just lift it out and place it back on the cake.

Serve warm or at room temperature. My family loves it with fresh whipped cream. This cake overnights well and is perfect for a picnic…or breakfast….brunch…a gift…..

BOURBON PEACH COBBLER

One of my readers, Barbara Pease, turned me on to this delicious cobbler originated by Tyler Florence of The Food Network, which I have tweaked a little and play with depending on what’s at the market, in the fridge or on my mind.

In a large bowl, add the peaches, bourbon, ¼ cup sugar, cornstarch, spices, vanilla and lemon. Toss to mix well, coating the peaches evenly. Set aside. Can be made in advance and refrigerated, but only for a short time before the fruit releases its juice and starts to turn color. Releasing the juices isn’t necessarily a bad thing—make sure to keep them in the final cobbler preparation.

Prepare the cobbler: Sift together the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add 1 ½ sticks cubed butter to the flour mixture and cut it in with a pastry blender, a few (10-15) pulses in the food processor or with your hands until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs or peas. Add the yogurt or cream and mix just until the dough comes together. Don’t overwork; the dough should be slightly sticky but manageable.

In a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-low heat, melt the remaining butter. Add the fruit mixture and cook gently until heated through, about 5 minutes. Drop the dough by mounded spoonfuls over the fruit. Brush the top of the cobbler drops (also called dumplings) with heavy cream and sprinkle with white or turbinado sugar. Place the cast iron pan on a baking sheet to catch any drips that might overflow. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is browned and the fruit is bubbling.

Over the summer I am especially conscious of not letting my children’s brains whither. I am also especially (can I say aggravatingly) aware of how much they abhor my couching this in terms of “schoolwork”, “homework”, “homeschool” “workbook” or “learning time”.

I have to be subtle. And creative.

Lesson: compare and contrast sticky buns to cinnamon rolls.

Conveniently, cooking is a wonderful way to teach kids how to follow directions, work in steps, understand measurements, memorize fractions and begin to understand chemistry. Food is your child’s first biology, chemistry and even geology lesson.

These cinnamon sticky buns, based on a recipe from Cooks Illustrated All Time Best Breakfast & Brunch Recipes, currently available for sale in grocery stores.

Let me tell you, of the many, many delicious things made in my kitchen, these buns were perhaps the very most delicious. Ooey-Gooey, soft, cinnamon-y, sweet (but-not-too sweet), with crunchy nuts on top and swirls of sugar inside: these buns are very special and utterly repeatable. We also made cinnamon rolls, from the same magazine. They were subpar but an excellent way to spend a rainy afternoon, and a lesson in comparing and contrasting. I had the kids write up their cooking experience, as well as a chart comparing the two recipes, and considered it a successful school day.

INGREDIENTS

Flour Paste

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup bread flour

Dough

2/3 cup whole milk

2 large eggs

2 3/4 cup bread flour

1 packet (2 1/4 ts) instant or rapid rise yeast

3 TB granulated sugar

1 ts salt

6 TB butter, softened

Topping

6 TB butter, melted

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup dark corn syrup

1/4 ts salt

2 TB water

2 TB vanilla

1 ts pumpkin pie spice

1 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and chopped (optional)

Filling

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 ts pumpkin pie spice

OK Lets get to Work

Measure and Set Aside all ingredients, in order of use

Clean up everything, put away ingredients

Turn on the light in your oven and fill a pot or kettle with 5+ cups water that are heated to a boil and reduced to a simmer. Have a glass oven safe container ready that the water will be poured into (ie Pyrex loaf pan).

Prepare two large-ish metal mixing bowls by spraying with non-stick spray. Set aside with some plastic wrap nearby.

Prepare a 13 x 9 metal baking pan by spraying with non stick spray. You need to use a metal pan as a glass pan conducts heat differently.

Prepare a countertop area by lightly dusting with flour.

Adjust your oven racks to the bottom and the lower middle positions.

To Make the Flour Paste

Whisk the water and flour together until smooth and no lumps remain.

Microwave, about 20 seconds at a time, stopping to whisk, until the mixture thickens into a stiff pudding like consistency that drops mounds when dropped from the whisk. The recipe said 50-75 seconds, as every microwave is different My GE Advantium achieved the appropriate consistency in 45 seconds.

For the Dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk and set on medium low (ie #2 on my Kitchen Aid), combine milk and flour mixture from microwave until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking until fully incorporated. Add flour and yeast.

Switch out the whisk for a dough hook and mix on medium-low speed until until all the flour is moistened, about 1 minute. Let stand for 15 minutes.

Add sugar and salt and mix for five minutes.

Add butter, up the speed to #3 and mix for five minutes longer, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed.

Remove the dough to one of the prepared mixing bowls. Lightly spray with non-stick spray. Cover with plastic wrap. Set dough in the oven and let it rise for about an hour.

Meanwhile, Make the Topping

Whisk the melted butter, sugars, salt and spices in a bowl until smooth. Add water and vanilla and whisk until incorporated.

Pour mixture into the pan, tilting the pan as needed to make sure it is evenly and throughly spread.

Sprinkle with the nuts, if you are using.

Make the Filling

Mix the sugar and spices until well incorporated and set aside

When the dough is ready

Point out how the yeast caused the dough to rise. Very cool. What fed the yeast to make it grow? CARBS! (sugar)

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface

Press the GENTLY dough down to remove air bubbles, then start pressing out into a large rectangle, about 15 x 18. Press evenly and be careful to not cause air pockets holes by spreading too thinly.

Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough, pressing it down lightly into the dough and creating a nice smooth surface.

Beginning with the edge nearest you, roll into an even cylinder. Be careful to not roll to tight or too loose. Press the seam on your last roll to seal it, and turn your roll so it is seam side down.

Mark gently with a knife to create equal portions of about 1 1/2 inches width.

Slice (the recipe called for dental floss, but a good sharp kitchen knife is perfectly fine). Transfer the slices to the prepared 13 x 9 metal pan.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap.

NOTE at this stage, the dough can be refrigerated until you are ready to use it. We were baking in the afternoon but wanted the buns hot out of the oven for breakfast, so I just set the pan in the fridge overnight. Easy Peasy. When you are ready to bake them, they will need a little longer to rise, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

When you are ready for the second rise and to bake the buns

Set the Pyrex loaf pan on the lower rack of the oven. Pour the boiling/simmering water into the loaf pan. Shut the oven door and let rise another hour.

Remove water and dough from oven. Set oven to 375.

To Bake

Bake the buns on the upper rack, still set in the lower middle position, about 20 minutes. Tent the buns with foil or parchment paper so the tops don’t burn, another 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them cool for about five minutes.

Place a rimmed baking sheet, or any flat surface (I lined a baking rack with parchment paper), over the top of your buns and flip to invert and remove from baking pan. This sounds difficult but is very easy, b/c you used a metal pan and were sure to spray it!

Scoop out any remaining ooey-gooey toppings onto the buns.

Wait as long as you possibly can (we topped out at the recommended 5 minutes) then gently slice the buns to pull apart. The recipe calls for waiting about 10 minutes before eating, but my bet is you won’t be doing that. We certainly didn’t.

Our recipe made about 12 buns. I froze 6 after letting them cool and they were fantastic warmed in a low oven about a week later.

Bon Appetit! We hope you enjoyed this little lesson in food chemistry, that your kids had a blast measuring, whisking, sticking their fingers in the yeasty dough and leaving trails of caramelized sugar all over your table. Life is short. Don’t sweat the brown sugar sprinkled in every crack of your kitchen!

Laura Boyd is a local stylist, interior decorator and caterer. Together with business partner Meg Hale, she owns Strawberry Banke Studio, a full-service lifestyle design firm based in Annapolis.

Prior to opening Strawberry Banke Studios last year, Laura travelled to Ireland to attend a specialized course at Ballymaloe, the country’s most famous school of cookery and hospitality.

She arrived just in time to experience an authentic St. Patrick’s Day celebration, which she says is fundamentally different than it is here.

“St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland is less an opportunity to visit the local pub—though that is fun and popular too– than it is an opportunity to explore the natural and culinary delights that best represent the magic and culture of Ireland”. – Laura Boyd, Strawberry Banke Studio

Photo by Laura Boyd

Laura admits that it didn’t take long for her to became obsessed with the best flavors of Ireland, which is of course is a country synonymous with the color green, mostly for the island’s miles upon miles of grassy fields, made verdant by temperature weather and plenty of rain. “I immediately fell in love with tender spring lamb, hand-smoked salmon, authentic salted butter made from Irish dairy cows, fresh rhubarb and tender spring vegetables like wild garlic and unique, heirloom potatoes. “I think I ate smoked salmon with butter on homemade bread every single morning I was in Ireland,” she laughs.

Laura says an authentic St. Patrick’s Day celebration should forego the heavily processed or overcooked dishes so frequently associated with the Americanized holiday and instead include artisanal and traditional foods that better represent the pastoral farms and plentiful waterways of Ireland.

“When I consider St. Patrick’s Day, I think of delicious flavors that fit perfectly into a more sophisticated menu Stateside”, Laura said. “I imagine a light brunch that marries the fresh flavors of spring and soft reminisces of Ireland”.

The Strawberry Banke rendition of St. Patrick’s Day showcases traditional Irish foods presented with a creative twist and a dash of the Southern flair Laura and Meg are known for. “We would go beyond typical mashed potatoes, Shepherd’s Pie or Beef Stew and instead focus on dishes that use simple, farm-fresh ingredients and deliver a lot of flavor. The brunch buffet would be styled with bountiful springtime flowers and on-trend lettuce ware, in all shades of green, of course!” Laura said.

It isn’t difficult to transform your own favorite St. Patrick’s Day flavors into simpler, more authentic and even healthier dishes. For example, The Full Irish is a large platter of heavy, gut-lining flavors and traditionally includes mushrooms, tomatoes, blood sausage and a fried egg. It is the perfect start to a hard day on the fields or at sea, but maybe not the best preamble to a celebratory sampling of St. Patrick’s Day drinks. “I wanted to elevate elements of The Full Irish and also to make it into a single portion that wouldn’t be overwhelming or filling”, Laura said. “This strata includes all of the essential ingredients of an Irish breakfast in every bite”.

Brown sausage or bacon. Remove from pan and add onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes and salute until tender (remember to season with salt and pepper). Let cool. Chop sausage and//or bacon into bite size pieces.

Mix eggs and milk (I like to pour some of the mixture into a glass measuring pitcher for easy pouring into the ramekins – remember to season egg mixture with a few pinches of salt and pepper).

Butter slices of bread and cut slices into 1 inch cubes.

In individual ramekins, place a layer of bread cubes and top with a bit of the onion, mushrooms, tomatoes and sausage/bacon. Top with a layer of shredded cheddar. Repeat with another layer of bread cubes, vegetables, meat, cheese, etc. until the ramekins are full.

Slowly pour the egg and milk mixture over the bread until it appears that all the bread has soaked up mixture (like bread pudding, you may need to push down the layers a bit to ensure each layer of bread has soaked up the egg). Add more bread, etc. if needed to fill to the top.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill ramekins on a sheet pan overnight if you want to plan ahead. If not, let the ramekins sit for at least 20-30 min before baking. Bake at 325 until a knife comes out clean and egg mixture is cooked all the way through. Tops should be golden and bubbly.

Cook the potatoes in their skins, pull off the peel and mash right away, adding the butter, flour and herbs. Season with lots of salt and pepper and add a few drops of whole milk or half & half if the mixture is altogether too stiff. Mix well. Taste and correct the seasoning.

Fry the potato cakes in clarified butter until golden brown on one side, then flip over and cook on the other side, for about 4-5 minutes – they should be crusty and golden.

Serve on very hot plates.Top with a dollop of creme fraiche and slivers of good quality smoked salmon. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately.

Irish Smoked Salmon on a Potato Cake. photo by Laura Boyd

**********

No authentic Irish-themed brunch should be without soda or brown bread, grassy imported butter and good quality smoked salmon. Each of these ingredients is ubiquitous and indigenous to Irish food culture. “ We used Irish Kerrygold butter both in the classroom and for guests at Ballymaloe, and I use it in my cooking here as well”, Laura said. Kerrygold can be found Stateside at most groceries. You can make your own bread, but you might have better luck finding it at a local bakery or restaurant. Try Great Harvest or make a special request at Killarney House, Galway Bay or Pirate’s Cove in Shadyside.

Of course, one can’t forego proper tea and scones for any Continental-style buffet. Laura said the scones in Ireland aren’t the heavy, cakey sort found in America: “Irish scones are light and ethereal little fluffy pillows that rely on fresh cream, Irish butter and Irish flour,” Laura said. “You may not be able to exactly replicate an Irish scone with American flour, but this recipe is very close”, she added. The recipe here is the one used at Ballymaloe. She added rhubarb and strawberry butter for seasonality, but says you can substitute other berries and compound butters. The Irish use Barry’s Tea, a blend of Kenya, Rwandan and Indian Assam leaves with a tan color and strong flavor. You can find it at Irish Traditions on Main Street in downtown Annapolis ($7.99/box, 80 bags).

Add the chopped fruit (I like to lightly toss mine in a little flour first to absorb some of the moisture. Separate fruit from excess dusting flour before adding to the bowl).

Make a well in the center. Whisk the eggs with the milk, add to the dry ingredients and mix into a soft dough (do not overtax! Just until the dough forms).

Turn out dough onto a floured board. Shape into a round and roll out (I like to use my hands and gently pat it out) until it is about 1 inches thick (the less you touch or smash it down, the softer and fluffier they will be!). Quickly cut out rounds with a floured cutter and put scones on baking sheet.

Brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake in the over for 10-12 minutes until golden brown on top. Cool on wire rack. Serve split in half with homemade jam, honey butter or a blob of whipped cream.

Finish your brunch with an Irish coffee. A strictly traditional Irish Coffee relies on brown sugar and whiskey stirred into dark coffee. Strawberry Banke’s version tops that rich drink with a dollop of handmade whipped cream infused with whiskey. “The cream adds comfort and a subtle flavor boost to the elegance of the coffee and brings a bit of both elegance and fun to the brunch”, Laura said.

For a bunch of traditional Irish recipes like colcannon and such, you can visit this post from last year.

Last year my GI doctor told me to try going off all legumes. Here is why that is horrible news: peanuts are legumes, and the classic PB & J is my all-time favorite food. Well, chocolate chip cookies may be my ALL all-time favorite, but it would be safe to say that PB & J is a staple in our house.

My doctor’s recommendation was bad news beyond lunch–the legume family includes beans and peas. I can forego peas–easily. But I eat beans several times a week. I figured anything was better than my poor tummy hurting all the time though, so I gave it a go.

Rather than giving up my beloved peanut butter, I turned to other nuts butters like cashew, macadamia and almond. All of which are ridiculously expensive. So I figured I would try buying bulk nuts and making my own. Nuts and seeds aren’t indulgent–they are healthy fats that our bodies require to perform, feel and look good.

Here’s is what I discovered: I will NEVER buy nut butters again. I am IN LOVE with the homemade version. The cost isn’t substantially better than store bought because even bulk nuts aren’t cheap, but the flavor is so much better. Also, I can control the salt and oil, and we know how I like to tweak my own flavors, thank you very much.

Making your own nut butter is very easy. Essentially, it involves three steps:

Buy the nuts (preferably raw).

Roast them to your preference.

Grind them to your preferred chunkiness.

Eat them whatever way you like.

I have a friend who I swear put my almond butter on pickles, and she wasn’t even pregnant. I sampled another friend a jar of macadamia and honey butter to get her feedback and she sent me a video of her spooning it out like it was ice cream.

The great thing about making your own nut butter is that you can tweak it for seasonings. Try kosher salt v. sea salt or table salt; add honey or pure maple syrup, sciracha or chile pepper, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.

Don’t be shy to use some of these butters in applications you may not have considered before, i.e. as a spread on grilled or roasted meats. Pistachios, walnuts and pecans are especially nice this way.

Some Tips

Buy your nuts in the bulk section OR find them seasonally at farmer’s markets. Finding fresh nuts makes a world of difference in flavor. Most of us aren’t able to do that, but if you can source just off the tree nuts, kudos!

When you get the nuts home, roast them yourself. Spread them in one layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Season to your preference with salt, dried herbs or spices. Roast for 10-12 minutes at 350. Just like with coffee, the flavor of your nut butter will vary drastically depending on the depth of your roast. As you become more proficient at making your butters, vary your roasting times to see how it changes your recipe outcome. Let the nuts cool slightly before you process.

Add any additional flavorings or seasonings before processing so they are fully mixed in. I highly recommend that you taste the nuts you already roasted for flavor. It’s always easier to add than to take away. If you want a swirl effect, i.e. with honey or syrup, add these at the end or stir in by hand.

Process the roasted nuts in a food processor or blender. I use my VitaMix. Different nuts require different processing times (see footnote below), but expect about 2 minutes.

I have found it is best to use about 2 cups of nuts at a time, otherwise the machine really has to work hard. Work in batches until you have as much as you require. The whole nuts should keep well in your pantry, so either buy to accommodate what you will use, or store the nuts and make up batches as you go to keep your nut butter fresh.

I topped these butters with some honey before passing along to a friend.

FOOTNOTE: processing times

Cashews require about 2 minutes. I am not a huge fan of cashew butter, because it has such a strong flavor and odor. My health-nut friend Deborah loves it, and she has a great point: it is important to mix up your nut intake, so you get a variety of vitamins, minerals, fats and amino acids. I manage cashew butter in smoothies with vanilla and cinnamon to balance it.

Almonds– Sliced almonds take a little bit longer to process and may require the addition of a little oil because they are dry. Whole almonds are naturally more oily, and take about 2 1/2 minutes to process.

Almond butter is good in just about everything- it is by far my go-to replacement for peanut butter. In fact, not to be disloyal, but I think I like it even better than PB. It has a wonderful aroma that makes the entire house smell homey and just a little exotic. It pairs well with everything from honey to spice to syrup and brown sugar and sit well on both sweet and savory dishes.

Macadamias– I may occasionally cheat on my almond butter with macadamia nuts. They are wicked expensive but they are Oh. So. Gooooood. Process for about 2 minutes. Because macadamias are high in fat, the butter will be thin. Chill to thicken. Add it to cookie doughs, strudels or donuts, waffles, pancakes, ice cream, chicken, steamed asparagus….I could bathe in this stuff…seriously. Macadamias pair well with everything from chocolate and coconut to berries, herbs like rosemary or thyme and spices like chile peppers and paprika.

Hazelnuts form the base of that classic chocolate dessert spread (Nutella!!). West Coast folks shouldn’t have a hard time finding them fresh in season. You might have to remove the skins. Roast until the nut is shiny, then rub them between a towel and the skins come off. Process about 2-3 minutes. Mix 1:1 with chocolate syrup to make your own spread. Hazelnuts are also delicious in pastry crusts and mixed into sweets like strudels and cinnamon rolls.

Pecans and Walnuts– both of these spreads are great over meats or even mixed into desserts, but are slightly bitter, so not great for sandwiches or toast. They process in 1 1/2 -2 minutes.

Pistachios are awesome as spreads over poultry, pork or meat, especially roasts and kebabs. The finished spread is very dry and crumbly, and it clumps up a lot when mixing. Process for 3 minutes or more.Add oil if you need a smooth result. Or use the dry spread in desserts like ice cream or layered cake fillings. Pistachio marries well with cinnamon, nutmeg and other eastern spices.

Peanut butter was invented in the 20th century and will never (I hope) go away. Process roasted peanuts for about 2 minutes. Peanut butter is lighter than commercial butters. It is also a little grainier–you can add a TB of organic peanut oil to smooth it out.

Christmas Eve is tomorrow and I haven’t yet made up a firm menu. Partly because I rarely get to go home for the holiday, which makes me want to boycott it; partly because damn–I’m tired, I don’t feel like shopping!!; and partly because I know I can scoot over to Whole Foods Market first thing tomorrow morning where I will find freshly stocked shelves and no crowds.

I know our meal will include some nice halibut, probably some salmon–although out here they sell third rate sockeye for $17.99/lb, which KILLS me–, definitely some crab, also some mussels and clams, and probably a chowder as a starter. Yes, it will include a lot of seafood. Yes, we are Catholic. No, we are not Italian.

Not even close. My father, a Van Atta, is thoroughly Dutch. My mother, a Thorpe, is Native American and Welsh. Sadly, none of my motley ethnicities are renown for the gustatory color, flavor, festivity and pomp of the Italians. My godmother is Italian though, and I lived with her in Jersey for a few years, so in my mind I consider that a close enough association to make actually becoming I-talian a near possibility.

Italians, and Catholics all over the world, celebrate Christmas Eve by abstaining from red meat, poultry and dairy, in observation of the la Vigilia di Natale, the midnight birth of the baby Jesus. The vigil is commemorated via The Feast of the Seven (or 10 or 12 or 13) Fishes.

Sautéed scallops at Osteria 177, Annapolis, Maryland. November 2015

Some people call this abstaining a “fast”. After surviving a week of juicing and detox just after Thanksgiving, I can tell you, this is my kind-a fast!

Interestingly, this piscine meal is not nationally observed in Italy. It is popular there mostly in Southern cities, which makes sense, since they are close to the sea and since seafood is so tightly wound into their cultural and culinary heritage.

Also, not every Feast features seven fish courses specifically, although there is some religious reference in that number. Food historians conjecture that the seven courses represent biblical completion, as in the seven days of Creation, while others say it refers to the seven Roman Catholic sacraments or to the seven hills that surround Rome. I’ve been to Feasts with 13 dishes, representing the 12 apostles plus Jesus, and even 11 dishes, representing the apostles minus Judas.

My godmother didn’t make her dishes based on theology, but rather on what was fresh at the market and what sounded delicious to her at the time. She often repeated some version of the meal for New Year’s Eve, which has no religious connotations at all.

It’s rare to find seafood prepared as finely as Ottaviano’s, which is why Osteria 177 has a strong reputation for elegant Italian dishes in a refined, yet relaxed atmosphere. It’s also why available reservations for his Christmas Eve menu are long gone.

Many people are intimidated at the prospect of successfully preparing a Fishy Feast. It’s not rocket science though. The key to cooking any type of fish, says Arturo, who attended culinary school in Italy and staged at Tiberius in Washington, DC, is to not overcook it and to keep it simple.

It doesn’t get fresher than this. Straight from the sea to the chef. Housewives also come to this market to shop the daily catch. Peru, 2013.

“I use basic ingredients and only a handful of basic sauces to create magic out of these simple things. I buy the best ingredients that I can get my hands on and I try to stay organic whenever possible. My seafood is always fresh, never frozen. When you combine simple, classic sauces with high quality ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, garlic, basil, parsley, tomatoes, lemon, olives and other herbs, you can create something wonderful whether you are making shrimp or scallops or salmon or whatever you can find fresh at the market”.

Here are several Fish recipes you can consider using for your own Feast. Keep in mind that these recipes are very versatile: you can substitute just about any type of fish. You can also search seafood, crab, or whatever on this site to find other favorite recipes.

Display the parchment paper on a table top and brush all over with a little melted butter.

Put the sliced potato on the center of it and the Rock fish fillet on top of the potatoes. Put clams and shrimp on top the Rockfish. Complete the topping with the grape tomatoes sliced in a half, the garlic (smashed), salt and pepper, the basil, the olive oil and a splash of white wine.

Properly close the Parchment paper and bake in a 425 pre heated Oven for about 14 minutes.

When ready, open the foil on the top and served with any side you wish to have—vegetables or even pasta.

You can add anything you want in the cartoccio from roasted peppers to sautéed mushrooms and more.

Tuna Carpaccio, Osteria 177, Annapolis.

Risotto con Zucchini, Cappesante e Polpa di Granchio

(Serving for 4)

Ingredients:

24 oz Arborio or Carnaroli Italian rice

1 medium size Zucchini, sliced

8 large dry sea Scallops, sliced into fours

Jumbo lump Crabmeat

1 chopped onion

Half tea cup of white wine

Method:

In one medium to large casserole pan, sautée the chopped onion and the zucchini with a spoon of olive oil and touch of butter until golden in color.

Add rice and a couple of minutes later add the wine and evaporate it, add to this some fish broth or clam juice to cover the rice.

Keep stirring the rice with a wooded spoon until it reduces. You may need to add some more broth.

Repeat this until the risotto is close to doneness.Halfway through the cooking, add the sea scallops and a portion of the crab meat.

Finally without over-cooking the rice, remove it from the heat and add a little Parmesan cheese, chopped Italian Parsley and half cup of extra virgin olive oil. Stir briskly to release the starch and serve it

Always check and adjust with salt and pepper if necessary.

a woman brings her load of fish to the market, straight from the sea. Her husband rowed her to shore and she waded in through a crowd of pelicans. Peru, 2013

Fish En Papillote with Roasted Carrots and Cipollini Onions.

By Executive Chef Keith Long, Factor’s Row, Annapolis

Collect:

2 Lbs. Firm fish, such as Blue Catfish (Cut into 7 oz portions)

8 Cipollini Onions

1 Lb. Baby Heirloom Carrots

4 oz. butter

2 cups Dry White Wine

4 sheets Parchment paper, about

4 fresh Thyme sprigs

Prepare:

Wash carrots and onions. Lightly drizzle with olive oil. Place on baking sheet and roast at 400° until just soft, around 20 minutes, depending on size. Allow to cool.

Assemble:

Fold a 14X12 sheet of parchment paper in half.

Cut a half-heart shape that is the height and width of the paper.

Lay out each full heart. Place one portion of fish in the middle of one side of each heart. Divide carrots, onions, butter and thyme into four equal portions and place next to fish. Season with salt and pepper.

Fold the top half of the heart over, like a taco, and starting at the top, leaving an inch or so nearest the top unfolded, fold the edge of the paper over, all the way down to the bottom tip, to create a pouch.

Place the four pouches on a baking sheet and set oven to 450°. Pour ½ cup of wine into each pouch then finish folding the edge over to seal the pouch.

Bake for about 12 – 14 minutes until fish is cooked through. Be careful opening each pouch they will be filled with steaming wine. Serve.

Remove pulp from squash and place in medium saucepot. Add butter, cream and seasoning. Mash with paddle until well incorporated. Do not over mix.

Dredge the fish in the cepe flour and season to taste. Roast the filets over medium high heat until desired doneness. Remove.

Puree all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a food processor at high speed until well blended. Season to taste.

Place one scoop of squash on each plate. Arrange fish on top of squash. Spoon vinaigrette around puree. Chef Buder garnishes this plate with fried squash. Fresh herbs or roasted winter vegetables would be good as well.

Peruvian Causa. So yummy with the avocado and pepper sauce.

Catfish, Fried Southern Style

Executive Chef Josh Brown, Level, A Small Plates Lounge, Annapolis

Ingredients:

Catfish Fillets

Enough buttermilk to cover

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup panko bread crumbs or cornmeal

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of cayenne, or to taste

pinch paprika, or to taste

1 quart peanut oil or canola oil for frying

Method:

Season fillets with salt and pepper

Soak the fillets in buttermilk for several minutes. Remove from the buttermilk and let any excess drip off.

In a separate bowl, mix the cayenne pepper and any other preferred spices with the panko and flour.

Heat the oil to 350°: use a counter top fryer, Dutch oven or a cast iron pan filled about half-way with the oil. You can add a little bacon grease for added flavor.

Season the filets with salt and pepper and sear both sides in a hot pan with olive oil.

Remove the filets from the pan, turn the heat down to medium, and sauté the shallots, garlic, thyme, capers and artichokes until soft, about four minutes.

Add the white wine, oregano, chicken stock and lemon zest (season the sauce with salt and pepper to desired taste) and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Return the filets to the sauce and simmer until cooked through.

Plate the fish and stir the lemon juice, parsley and butter into the sauce.

Halibut a la Grecque

By Andre Bienvenu, Joe’s Stone Crab, Miami Beach, FL

In the absence of good-tasting tomatoes, I have used 8 ounces or so marinated roasted red and yellow tomatoes, which can be found at Whole Foods Market.

Ingredients:

2 Pacific Halibut fillets, 6 to 8 oz each, skin removed

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

1 large vine ripened tomato, seeded and chopped

10 imported black olives

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 TB fresh oregano

1 TB basil leaves, chiffonade

1 bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced

12 cilantro leaves, chopped

8 TB olive oil

Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Lemon wedges for garnish

Method

Season the fillets with salt and pepper. In a bowl combine the cheese, tomato, olives, garlic, oregano, basil, scallions and cilantro.

Add 6 tablespoons of the olive oil.

Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper; set aside (this mixture will serve as a topping for the fish)

Preheat a grill or heat the remaining tablespoons of olive oil in a pan.

Grill or sauté the fish for about 2 minutes on each side. Preheat the broiler.

Place the cheese-herb mixture on top of the fish and broil for a few minutes until light golden brown.

Bacon-Wrapped Prawns or Sea Scallops in a Balsamic Reduction

by Foraging for Flavor

Ingredients

Prawns or scallops- as many as you need

Bacon- enough for 1/2 strip per piece of fish

Method:

Wrap prawns or scallops with very good quality applewood-smoked or Black Forest bacon, using a toothpick to hold the bacon in place.

Broil until bacon is caramelized and seafood is cooked through.

Drizzle the serving platter or salt block with a balsamic reduction.

Place seafood on the platter.

Reduction

Bring 1 cup balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoon soy sauce to a simmer, reducing to about ½ cup or until sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon. This should take about an hour. Soy sauce can be omitted. Reduction will keep and is wonderful with roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, on baked chicken or especially over slow roasted salmon.

Roasted Salmon. Cook the salmon just until the white fat begins to come out and a light caramelization is achieved. There is nothing worse than over-cooked, mealy salmon. I sprinkled this filet with an assortment of fresh herbs.

Grilled Salmon

Use center cut filets, about 1 inch thick, or thick steaks of uniform size, one filet per person.

Heat the grill to medium high heat.

Salt and pepper the fish, marinate or use a dry rub. If you marinate in an oil base, beware of flare ups while grilling.

Place filets skin side down on grill grate; grill until skin shrinks and separates from flesh and turns black, 2 to 3 minutes. Alternatively, place the steaks directly on the grill for 3-4 minutes.

Flip fillets gently when meat is opaque throughout, yet translucent and red at the very center when checked with the point of a paring knife, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer to a platter.

Serve with any of the fondue sauces already posted on this site, the balsamic reduction or these other sauces.

Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a small mixing bowl, whisk thoroughly, taste and adjust seasonings.

Wash the oysters, open and lift off the shallow shell. Be sure to wipe off the knife after opening each oyster. Leave the oysters attached to the bottom or deeper shell.

Place the oysters on the half shell on a special oyster platter or on a bed of crushed ice to keep them level

Serve the oyster with the sauce, rye bread and butter

Lump Crab and Shrimp Ceviche

From “Seafood Lover’s Chesapeake Bay”, a lovely book by Mary Lou Baker withmore than 50 restaurant profiles and 75 recipes from the best restaurants along Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay. You can find the book at Barnes Noble, Amazon, the Baltimore Museum of Art bookstore, The News Center in Easton and Arnold Pharmacy at the Four Corners Plaza in Arnold as well as other local outlets.

Serves 10

For the ceviche

1/4 lb jumbo lump crab

1/4 lump crabmeat

6 large shrimp

1/2 red pepper, diced small

1/2 yellow pepper, diced small

1 jalapeño pepper, diced small

1 small red onion, diced small

2 TB chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup oil

1/4 TB cumin

3 limes

1 orange

salt and pepper, to taste

5 avocados

For the avocado cream

1 avocado, halved and scooped out

1 cup sour cream

4 ts lime juice

cilantro leaves, for garnish

tortilla chips, for serving

Method

Mix crabmeat in a large bowl. Steam shrimp and shock in an ice bath. Drain, dice and add to the crab.

Add peppers, onions and cilantro to the mix. Stir well.

Toss with oil and cumin.

Heat limes and ginger for 90 seconds in the microwave . Cut in half and squeeze into mix after removing seeds (or squeeze through a strainer).

As I have said over and over and over: I love cookies. I love cookie platters. I love holidays, which are the perfect excuse to make a cookie platter.

A cookie platter should be a reflection of you: your personality, your time and expense and effort. Look, cookie recipes are a dime-a-dozen, so you want yours to reflect your heritage, your homeland, your family traditions or your favorite flavors. Time spent making your platter should be filled with nostalgia and warmth and familiar remembrances you only have time to think of when you are elbow deep in flour or licking the spoon.

Here are several recipes for our favorite platter cookies, plus links to others we love.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

* If you don’t plan to frost these cookies, which have just the slightest crisp exterior and tender interior, then sprinkle with a little sea salt before baking.

Ingredients

2 ½ cups flour

½ cup Dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder

1 ts baking soda

1 ts cinnamon

¼ ts nutmeg

¼ ts salt

1 ¼ cups granulated sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 egg

2 ts vanilla or almond extract

Method

Mix dry ingredients together. Set aside.

Cream sugar and butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Reduce mixer speed to low, add dry ingredients, and beat until just combined

Combine sugar, remaining 1 tsp. cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in a small bowl.

Form 2 inch balls of dough. Roll the balls in the sugar.

Leave about 2 inches between each ball on the sheet. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until puffed and set but still moist, 10-12 minutes.

Immediately make an indentation in the center of each cookie with the small end of a melon baller or the bottom of a rounded 1-tsp. measuring spoon.

If you want your thumbprint to be a simple nut, melt chocolate chips in the microwave, place a small dollop into the thumbprint, place a roasted pecan into the indentation, then let the cookies cool. Alternatively, you could use a Hershey kiss and garnish with a tiny sprinkle of sea salt and finely minced candied ginger.

Transfer cookies on parchment to wire racks and let cool completely.

***************************************

If you want to fill the thumbprint, while the cookies are baking, finely chop the remaining 2 Tb pecans and set aside.

Heat chocolate and remaining 4 TB butter in a small bowl over steaming water or in the microwave until melted.

Transfer chocolate mixture to a small re-sealable plastic bag and snip a 1/4″ hole in one corner.

Transfer mixture to large bowl; add egg whites. Using electric mixer, beat until mixture is smooth.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in small bowl to blend. Add to pine nut mixture; beat until smooth (dough will be soft and sticky).

Place remaining 3/4 cup pine nuts in shallow bowl. Spoon a ball of dough, shaping it into a round cookie. Roll the top of the cookie in the pine nuts. Yes, the dough is sticky. Yes, you can lick your fingers when you are done.

Bake cookies 1 baking sheet at a time until golden, about 20 minutes. Cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar, transfer to plate, and serve. (Cookies can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

*Almond paste is available at specialty foods stores and in the baking-products section of most supermarkets.

Kourabiethes

I’ve mentioned my friend Frances Vavloukis before on this site and in my newspaper columns. She is just a force of nature. Not only is she a stunning (literally–meaning physically– and figuratively–meaning skilled) cook, but she is also an amazing baker. Essentially, she is the entire box of chocolates. I am a mere brownie next to her perfectly formed petit four. This recipe is from her father’s sister, Marianthe Costakis!

Frances is a tiny lady with a powerful presence, a ginormous heart and a huge smile.

“Marianthe sponsored my father to come to the United States from Greece in 1955. When my mother died, my sister Katherine and I were 9 years old. Thea Marianthe was our go-to person on how to cook and to make authentic Greek pastries. Before she died, at the age of 92, she contributed this recipe to the Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Church Philoptochos Society Woman’s Organization and I still use it today”.

Ingredients:

1 lb. sweet butter

½ cup powdered sugar

1 egg yolk

1 TB brandy (optional)

1 tsp. vanilla

4-5 cups flour, sifted

½ cup walnuts

1 packaged powdered sugar

Method:

Cream butter. Add sugar, beat until light and fluffy

Add egg yolk and beat thoroughly. Add vanilla and walnuts (if using)

Add flour, a little at a time, until dough is soft and pliable.

Form into little crescents or balls.

Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 1” apart

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until lightly browned

Spread newspaper or brown paper on the counter top. Cover the paper with waxed paper. Spread a little powdered sugar over the surface.

Remove cookies from oven and immediately move to the wax paper. Immediately sift powdered sugar over until each cookie is covered completely

Let cookies cool completely.

Serve in cupcake papers

Kurabia- the Ultimate Butter Cookie

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar, spooned in and leveled

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, sifted, spooned in and leveled

1 ts vanilla or almond extract

pinch of salt

1/2 cup very finely chopped walnuts, pistachios, pecans or pine nuts

Method:

Position the shelves in the upper and lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 300.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, several minutes.

Add ¾ cup sugar, just a little at a time, allowing each addition to by fully combined before adding more, then continue to mix for several minutes until very light in color.

Turn the stand mixer to “stir” or use a wooden spoon to add the flour in three additions, mixing just until incorporated after each addition. Do not over mix.

Divide the dough into 1 or so inch inch balls. Roll each ball into 2 inch logs, tapering the ends then forming a crescent and place about 1 inch apart on the cookie sheet.

Bake for 12-15 minutes. Keep an eye on them, because the time always seems to vary for me, depending on weather, ingredients, etc. About halfway through baking time, rotate the pans top to bottom and front to back to ensure even baking. The Kurabia are done with the bottoms of the cookies barely show signs of browning.

Remove cookies from the oven and let rest on the sheets for 1-2 minutes.

Carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack, but don’t touch. They are very fragile when hot. Cool completely then air dry for about an hour.

Beat butter, vanilla, and 1 cup powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed until creamy, well-blended, and fluffy.

Add flour 2 cups at a time, beating on low speed, then on medium speed after each addition until well-blended, stopping occasionally to scrape inside of bowl. Add nuts and beat on low speed until blended. Stir by hand a few times to be sure dough is evenly blended.

Bake until dough is pale golden on top and golden on the underside, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.

Gently toss warm cookies a few at a time in a bowl of powdered sugar (the sugar will melt and form a coating), then set on wire racks to cool completely. Repeat to make more cookies.

Gently toss cookies in powdered sugar again to coat generously. Store airtight up to 1 week, or freeze.

Burano’s Sugar Cookies

These very special Italian cookies remind me of Venice in particular and Italy in general, where they are quite famous and popular. This recipe is by Marcel Hazan from her wonderful book Marcella Cucina(1997, p.433)

Ingredients

½ lb. butter (2 sticks), room temperature

1 ¼ cup sugar

Pinch of salt

Grated peel of 1 lemon

½ ts vanilla

5 egg yolks

4 ½ cups flour

2 TB milk

Method:

Put all of the ingredients in a food processor and run the blade until they come together. You will have to scrape down the bowl a couple of times.

Transfer to a tightly sealed container and chill for 2 hours

Preheat the oven to 400

Smear the bottom of a pan with butter, sprinkle with flour, being sure to tap off any excess flour

Sprinkle flour on a work surface. Take a piece of cookie dough about the size of a jumbo egg and roll it on the counter into a cylinder about 8 inches long and 1 inch thick. Curl it into a circle, overlapping the two ends. Place it on the baking pan. Do this for all the dough, spacing about 2 inches apart on the pan.

Bake in the upper middle level of the oven for 10-15 minutes until they become a very light gold. They will keep in a tightly closed biscuit tin for 2-3 months.

Hanaan is on the left. What a girl! What cookies!

Fekka

In college I had a dear friend, Hanaan, who held a Moroccan passport and strong ties to Saudi Arabia. She said her parents had died…she was all alone. She was not what I expected a Moroccan ward of the state to be, in that she was incredibly sexy, smoked like a fiend, danced like she learned from Salome herself and cursed like a proper sailor. Eventually, she found a boyfriend– nasty creature, I must say, and nearly instantly her partying days were over. After graduation I visited her one day, where she seemed nearly shackled to her apartment. I never heard from her again. I make these cookies when I want to remember my friend, who took this small town girl and turned me into a proper collegiate party animal.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups plus 1/2 cup flour

2/3 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon anise seeds

1/4 cup golden unhulled sesame seeds, toasted

1/4 cup golden raisins, currants, dried cranberries, dried apricots, or any combination of the above, soaked in warm water until plump and then drained

1/2 cup almonds, walnuts or pistachios, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup orange flower water

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk)

Mix together 3 1/2 cups of flour with the sugar, salt, baking powder, sesame and anise seeds. Stir in the raisins and almonds.

Add the eggs, oil, butter, orange flower water and vanilla and mix well to form a soft, slightly sticky dough. Add up to an additional 1/2 cup flour only if you need it to make the dough manageable.

Divide the dough into large balls about the size of baseballs. On a lightly floured surface, roll the balls of dough back and forth to form smooth logs about the diameter of a banana. Place the logs about two inches apart on the greased baking sheet.

Brush the logs with the egg wash, and pierce the logs with a fork in several places to let steam escape. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the logs barely begin to take on a pale golden color.

Carefully transfer the logs to a rack to cool. Cover with a towel, and leave until the next day or at least 10 to 12 hours.

Preheat your oven to 400F. Cut the logs into 1/4 inch slices (a long serrated knife works best). Place the slices on an ungreased baking sheets, and bake in batches for 15 to 20 minutes, until medium golden brown. Remove the cookies to a rack to cool.

Store fekkas in an airtight plastic container for up to a month. They will keep well in the freezer for several months.

Hanaan inspired me to moments of extremes: dancing all night, drinking more than I should, driving fast cars. She was the absolutely best influence and I attribute some of the most fun I’ve ever had to her.

Other cookie recipes from blogs we love:

Growing up, both my mom and my stepmom always included cranberry sauce for holiday meals, including not just Thanksgiving, but also New Year’s, Valentine’s Day and even Easter. It was usually from the can. The generic kind, in fact. The one with the white label with black writing that just shouted “This will be red, but bleak at best”.

It’s not that buying cranberry sauce is a bad thing. It’s just that… well, cranberry sauce is a quintessential part of a holiday meal for Gawd’s Sake. How else to choke down the turkey meat? How else to mix together stuffing, three types of potatoes, peas and gravy all in one bite and still have it taste good? Thanksgiving features so many rich, buttery, salty foods that you really need that tart cranberry spike to give your tongue a break, to wake it up and to balance all those jittery tastebuds that drowning in flavor overload.

Cranberry sauce plays such a pivotal role on the table, in fact, between your ability to eat your mother-in-law’s dried out leathery turkey while simultaneously smiling as if you are at Boulud, enjoying the best meal of your life, or on the flip side your enjoyment of the juiciness of the meat, the creaminess of the potatoes, the fresh earthiness of the vegetables and the soft, buttery flakiness of the biscuits or dinner rolls, that, in short, it deserves more time and attention than what you can give it with a can opener.

HA HA HA. I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to use this. Not that it is perfect here, but it’s pretty funny anyway…

I have several friends who ask for cranberry sauce making advice every year. In the past, I’ve just given them what I have already made–I always make a couple of types of cranberry sauce several days in advance, just to be able to cross it off my list. This year, I will share several of my go-to Cranberry Sauce recipes here, so they won’t have any excuse to not try at least, to do it on their own. I don’t have fancy photos, because I am elbow deep in T-Day prep. I’ll see what I can come up with later….

The sugar will melt, the berries will pop and release their juices. The juices will reduce and you are left with a beautiful sauce.

Method

Making Cranberry Sauce involves cooking whole cranberries in a sugar syrup until they pop and release their juice. The sugar syrup combines with the juice to form the jelly or sauce.

The cranberries offer texture and tang. You want to balance that tart flavor with sweet, salt and spice.

A hit of citrus helps to round it out. Use orange, tangerine or clementine zest. You can also add a bit of fresh lemon juice or orange juice during cooking.

You can also add texture with roasted walnuts, pecans, macadamia nut, hazelnuts or even toasted coconut. Seasonal dried fruits like cherries, pear or apple are also delicious additions. Ginger and pomegranate juice or seeds naturally go well with the tart cranberries.

Some people like smooth cranberry jelly. This is achieved by passing the cooked cranberries through a food mill or fine mesh sieve.

Regardless of if you want smooth or chunky, you need to let the hot jam rest for about 20-30 minutes so it can set up. Then you can cool it in the fridge or serve it at room temperature. Cranberry sauce lasts about a week in the refrigerator, sealed tightly so no air can create mold.

Cranberry chutney or relish recipes use the exact same method as above, but also include sautéed shallots, dried cranberries, peeled grapes, diced apple or pear or dried cherries. I think a splash of really jammy balsamic vinegar gives these cranberry garnishes just the right elegant touch. Try a fig, raspberry or classic variety.

Some older recipes include a splash of rum, cointreau, kirsch or brandy. I will leave that up to you. Be sure to add the liquor with the other ingredients so the alcohol can burn off and the sweetness can meld into the recipe without overwhelming it.

FFF Classic Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

1 bag whole cranberries (this is roughly 12 ounces or 3 cups)

3/4 cup raw sugar (you can use white sugar, but I prefer the hint of molasses from raw sugar or an extra 1/4 cup brown sugar)

1 TB lemon juice

2 ts vanilla extract or 1 ts vanilla paste

1/2 ts ground cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick

1/4 ts kosher or sea salt

1/4 ts black pepper

1/4 ts allspice

Combine all of the ingredients in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir to cover the cranberries in the sugar

Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 5-7 minutes: the sugar will melt, the cranberries will release their juice and the spices will meld into the sauce.

Uncover and cook 5-7 more minutes, stopping to stir as necessary to ensure the berries don’t scorch, until the sauce has thickened and the berries have popped open.

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Meet Diana

I live on the East Coast, but I am a West Coast girl at heart! My family is full of crazy, wild women who live life to the fullest, and I am proud to follow in their footsteps. Did I mention I love to travel? We never sit for too long and are eager to share with you all we know about our adventures. We are always on the hunt for cool, hip artisans and entrepreneurs who like to share their fresh, local ideas and products. Join me to forage for a more flavorful life! Read More…

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